Natural Solutions for Total Body Health for Men

Products that nourish the body both inside and out are popular in this growing market.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the top five causes of death in adult men in the U.S. are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory disease (such as emphysema and asthma) and stroke. In fact, the CDC reports that more than 300,000 men lose their lives to cancer every year—particularly skin, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers.

These health threats can be managed by making smart lifestyle choices including regular screenings with a health professional, exercising, good nutrition and weight management, limiting alcohol intake, wearing sunscreen, not smoking and stress management.

“The Baby Boomer generation (ages 51-69) is now 76.4 million strong,” said Dr. Paz Eilat, chief executive officer and chief medical officer at Allied BioNutrition in California. “These 76.4 million Baby Boomers represent close to one-quarter of the estimated 2012 U.S. population of 314 million, and about half are men,” he continued. “As the invincibility of youth gives way to the reality of aging, cardiovascular health remains a focus of many Boomers.”

And while male Baby Boomers are smoking and drinking less, Eilat pointed to a U.S. Census Bureau report showing that the vast majority of male Boomers are overweight or obese, which could affect cardiovascular health.

“We are aging, and the concern for aging well is certainly there,” said Barbara Roll, vice president of marketing at California-based derma e. “And it’s not just our older population that is taking an interest … younger generations want to maintain good health as well as a youthful appearance. Concern over chemicals that may be present in products has impacted how customers are shopping. Consumers care more about what they are putting in and on their bodies, and they are looking for natural products to improve their health.”

State of the Market

Eilat reported that data from the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health revealed that one in three American adults takes at least one dietary supplement each day. “According to statista.com, an August 2014 survey indicates that among U.S. adult males, 65 percent reported taking dietary supplements,” Eilat stated. “Not only are more men using supplement products to support overall dietary intake, they are more likely to regard supplementation as an effective way to improve health.”

Marci Clow, MS, RDN, at California-based Rainbow Light, agreed that this category is continuing to grow. “The Council for Responsible Nutrition’s 2015 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements suggested that 44 percent of the males who use dietary supplements take them to support overall health, 30 percent said they take them for energy, and 28 percent for both immunity and heart health,” she said. Clow also noted that research from Mintel suggested that 40 percent of men consider stress is a top health concern.

“Men not only want to prevent disease, but also improve the quality of their life in other areas, including joint health, immune health, digestive health and cognitive function,” added Eilat. “This is a prime opportunity for dietary supplement companies to create products focused on men’s health trends.” In addition to dietary supplements, men are turning to topical products to protect their skin from environmental stressors including sun damage and to diminish the signs of aging.

“An aging population is causing a shift in trends, as well as technology and how people gain information,” reported Roll. “The need for convenience due to lack of time is still very much on trend,” said Roll, “and specifically within skin care we are seeing at home treatments including serums, peels and face paper masks as super on trend at the moment.”

Deirdre Fitzgerald, marketing and public relations manager at W.S. Badger Company in New Hampshire, agreed that there is a growing interest in the men’s health market, particularly in that of men’s grooming products. “When Badger launched the line in 2014, recent studies on men’s grooming showed it was one of the fastest-growing segments of the beauty industry with sales predicted to grow to $4.6 billion by 2019.”

New and Noteworthy

Multivitamins

A recent launch from Carlson Labs of Illinois is Men’s Omega Multi—a soft gel formulation with fish oil. “Men’s Omega Multi is specially designed for men who want to fill nutritional gaps and achieve optimal wellness,” explained Jolie Root, senior nutritionist and educator at the company.

Men’s Omega Multi provides 13 vitamins including vitamins A, C, D3, E, K2 and B-vitamins, as well as nine minerals, the omega-3s EPA and DHA, and six other ingredients scientifically shown to support heart, brain, vision, joint, muscle, bone, colon, prostate and immune system health.

Another men’s multivitamin is the For Men daily tablet from Texas-based Michael’s Naturopathic Programs. The company has been selling multis for men and boys since 1987. The For Men formula contains essential vitamins and minerals including high doses of B vitamins for increased energy and stamina in physically active men. These vegetarian and kosher tablets also contain a proprietary blend of herbal supplements including saw palmetto and ginseng. For physically active teenage boys, Michael’s also has a multivitamin called Teen Boy Tabs.

Men’s One from Rainbow Light continues to be a top-selling multivitamin, providing moderate potencies of nutrients that are essential to fill in dietary gaps that might be missing when a wide variety of whole foods is not consumed daily. This formulation is designed to energize and strengthen the major systems of a man’s body. “Reasons for success and repeat purchase may include the fact that Men’s One is gentle on the stomach, can be taken at any time of day with or without food, and is an easy-to-swallow only one tablet per day formula that is reasonably priced,” stated Clow.

In January 2017, Rainbow Light will launch two multivitamins for men from its new Vibrance line: Men’s Multivitamin plus Stress Support with B-vitamins plus digestive support for men to who are trying to manage stress; and Men’s Multivitamin plus Energy & Vitality, a multi designed to promote energy and vitality while supporting heart health and healthy aging. Both products will be available to distributors on December 1.

Cardiovascular Health

Allied BioNutrition offers two products benefiting cardiovascular health formulated with a proprietary licorice root extract. CardioSustain promotes and maintains cardiovascular health with a 100 mg dose of licorice root exract (glycyrrhiza glabra) in an easy-to-swallow capsule. A recent human study from the Lipid Research Lab, Technion Faculty of Medicine at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel found that the supplement significantly impacted a wide range of cardiovascular biomarkers including reduction of plasma cholesterol levels by 5 percent, reduction of plasma triacylglycerol levels by 14 percent, and reduction of systolic blood pressure by 10 percent.

Additionally, ArterioSustain contains the same licorice root ingredient. Eilat shared the results of a double-blind placebo controlled clinical study published in the scientific journal Food and Nutrition Research in April 2016 that examined the effect of the proprietary Licorice Root Extract on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in individuals with increased oxidation. “Following one year of Allied BioNutrition’s licorice root extract consumption, the mean CIMT has shown a statistically significant reduction,” he said. “This suggests that our unique ingredient may attenuate the development of oxidation and promote healthy blood circulation in the arteries, factors that are of profound importance to the cardiovascular health of Baby Boomer men.”

Prostate Health

The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and slowly increases in size from birth to puberty. The prostate continues to grow until a man enters his thirties, however, around the age of 45 further enlargement may occur which can result in urinary issues.

Growing older raises your risk of prostate problems. According to the National Cancer Institute, the three most common prostate problems are prostatitis (inflammation), enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) and prostate cancer.

A number of nutrients are said to help keep the prostate gland healthy. Zinc is important for male reproduction system development and function, and prostatic fluids contain the highest levels of zinc in the body. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that adult males over the age of 18 get 11 mg/day of zinc, not exceeding the tolerable upper limit intake of 40 mg/day.

Saw palmetto is a traditional herbal remedy used by men to support reproductive health. Historically, men ingested berries from the saw palmetto plant to treat urinary tract issues, to boost sperm production and to boost libido.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the primary use of saw palmetto today is to treat BPH, a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. Though scientists aren’t sure how it works to improve this common condition, some studies have shown saw palmetto to be effective at treating BPH and that it may help to reduce an enzyme in the body that promotes the growth of prostate cells. Saw palmetto may also have anti-inflammatory effects on the prostate.

For prostate health, Michael’s Naturopathic Programs offers a gluten-free tablet called Prostate Factors containing zinc and saw palmetto as well as other herbs including pygeum and gravel root. Pygeum africanum has been shown in clinical studies to have benefits over placebo in treating symptoms of patients with mild BPH. In addition, Prostate Factors contains the antioxidant vitamin E, and essential minerals calcium and magnesium.

Nutra Support Prostate is specialized nutrient blend from Carlson Labs that supports healthy prostate function. The soft gel formulation contains minerals such as zinc and selenium as well as antioxidants, amino acids and natural plant extracts such as saw palmetto and stinging nettle to nourish the prostate gland. Stinging nettle root is widely used in Europe to treat BPH symptoms. Human studies suggest that stinging nettle, in combination with saw palmetto, may be effective at relieving symptoms that result from having an enlarged prostate such as reduced urinary flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder and urinary urgency.

Skin Care

One of derma e’s best-selling lines is the Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A line, which according to Roll helps retexturize skin to diminish the look of fine lines, wrinkles, irregularities and large pores. “Featuring vitamin A, commonly referred to as “the skin vitamin,” plus antioxidants and botanicals, these products help stimulate cellular renewal for a younger, smoother, more perfect complexion,” she stated. Most of the products in this line also contain glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid compound that penetrates the skin to increase cell turnover and reduce fine lines.

Two products from derma e’s Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A line include Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A & E Treatment Oil, a pre-shave prep that is reportedly great for sensitive skin, and Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A Glycolic Scrub, which can help minimize the potential for ingrown hairs. The products are 100 percent vegan, cruelty-, paraben-, sulfate-, mineral oil-, lanolin-, gluten- and GMO (genetically modified organism)-free.

To protect the skin from damaging UVA/UVB rays, derma e’s Antioxidant Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 Oil-Free Face Lotion is formulated with clear, nanoparticle-free, chemical-free zinc oxide that doesn’t irritate skin. The addition of vitamin C and green tea helps skin recover after spending time in the sun and reduces the signs of aging for younger-looking skin.

Another broad-spectrum sunscreen product for men is SPF 15 Sunscreen Cream from Badger. This 100 percent certified natural sunscreen protects with non-nano, uncoated zinc oxide, the safest and most effective single mineral active ingredient. The base is an unscented vitamin-E rich sunflower oil with essential fatty acids to keep skin soft and healthy.

What the Customer Wants

“Women tend to be the most active shoppers and are often the primary shopper in the household,” shared Clow, “but my opinion is that more men are now becoming major purchasers of products to support their own health.”

Ramona Billingslea, marketing manager at Betsy’s Health Foods in Houston, TX agreed. “We have a growing number of men who come in shopping for their own health as opposed to leaving the health shopping to their wives,” she reported.

When it comes to what they are looking for, Billingslea said that a growing number of customers come to the store with a doctor’s recommendation in hand, which she viewed as “a great trend that shows the medical community is embracing more and more the possibilities of filling nutritional gaps with supplements.” Many customers also come into the store after having seen a product online looking for a more informed opinion.

Customers today care about more than just staying youthful and looking good. “They also care about the environment, their health, what they eat, and how they care for their body,” explained Roll. And this particular group of customers is growing. According to Roll, almost 50 percent of consumers across the U.S. fall into this category. VR

Disclaimer: This web site provides information for professionals and business persons involved in the health food and dietary supplement industry. None of the information in this web site is intended for or should be used as medical advice. Please consult a trained health care practitioner for any medical problems or health conditions.